National Strategy for Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) Act  The House resumed from December 8, 2011, consideration of the motion that Bill C-280, An Act to establish a National Strategy for Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI), be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions to present today. The first one is on CCSVI. There is an absolute difference between my Bill C-280 and the government's position in terms of phase of clinical trials, start date for clinical trials, follow-up care and the need for experts.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, my second petition is regarding CCSVI. The government claims most of what I am asking for in Bill C-280 is already under way. This is absolutely not the case. First, follow-up care remains a problem today and has not been adequately addressed.

Petitions  The petitioners are calling on the Minister of Health to consult experts actively engaged in diagnosis and treatment of CCSVI, to undertake phase 3 clinical trials on an urgent basis with a large patient participation in multiple centres across Canada, and to require follow-up care.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present this petition on CCSVI. There is real concern among the community that, while the government fast-tracked a drug which was known to cause a fatal brain infection and has now infected 232 people and killed 49 people and another drug which has killed 15 people, the government is reticent about clinical trials for venous angioplasty which is performed across the country.

Health committee  Again, I assume that part of the $10 million would be certainly expended through a successful CCSVI clinical trial if we're able to have one.

Special Committee on Subsection 223(1) of the Criminal Code  However, would we want to look at the issue of whether the government believes it can then tell physicians what they can or cannot do? Our own government has said recently, on the issue of CCSVI, that the government should not be dictating guidelines to the medical profession, so then what is the use of this debate in the first place, if nothing that comes out of debate is going to be anything but unconstitutional?

Health committee  I think your briefings to us are always full of excellent information. I want to go back to a comment my colleague made about the anti-CCSVI campaign that's taken place, in her estimation. Certainly I would take some umbrage to a comment like that, because I think those of us who are questioning this therapy are doing it because we haven't precluded the outcome.

Health committee  The first thing is that, as was mentioned before, it would create a dangerous precedent to legislate on the type and object of research when we have mechanisms that have been set up by Parliament to do this on behalf of the Canadian public and the Canadian government. That's the first thing. The second thing concerns more specifically CCSVI, which is that we must abide by the principle of clinical research, and get the information, as we're actually proceeding to get it, in a phased fashion.

Health committee  You know I'm not a combative person; this is difficult. In light of there being an absolutely robust anti-CCSVI campaign, how is CIHR going to guarantee a non-biased study? That's of real concern to the patients.

Health committee  Beaudet that question specifically. I asked him if there was any definitive test to diagnose CCSVI. I just want to make that clarification.

Health committee  I want to ask that this group review the latest information from the ISNVD, which is the group that looks at CCSVI. There is a consensus statement on the best way to image.

National Strategy for Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) Act  (The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:) Vote #136

National Strategy for Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) Act  I declare the motion defeated.

National Strategy for Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) Act  It being 5:30 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at second reading stage of Bill C-280 under private members' business. Call in the members. And the bells having rung: